The Cosmic [Easter] Egg

I’m still on a spiral kick. There’s just something in my consciousness lately that is interminably walking the labyrinth, and perpetually in motion with spirals and cycles. I keep coming back to things, to myself even, but in new ways. It has been challenging because I am both churning along these vast arcs of time, yet falling through into the eternal hub of cycles that forever iterate the many facets of the One. I have been having a hard time, keeping track of time. But it has been that way for a while now, so I’m actually quite practiced in coping with it. Reading is a great way to cope.

Dan Brown’s new book, Origin, has a spiral on the cover (in the US at least). When you see an image of a spiral, it is both leading somewhere (in or out, depending on your perspective) yet is self-contained by its own circumference. It’s a brilliant way of letting you know, that you are only ever going anywhere to experience how you already got there. The spiral is one of the most ancient and ubiquitous symbols used by humanity, insistently etched into stones all over the planet, and it is still a mystery to the modern mind as to where they were going with it. Only Time will tell.

When it comes to plumbing the depths of ancient and superimposed symbols, you can’t do better than Easter. Anyone who’s ever breathed importance upon Springtime, Rebirth, Resurrection, Renewal has dipped their toe into the well of Easter symbols and enjoyed the ripple of how they ultimately tell the story of “YES!”

It occurred to me for the first time just this past week, how the whole psychology of Eastertime must be different for those living in the Southern Hemisphere. Is it more religion-focused, less season-based? And how does it affect their experience of religion, if Jesus resurrects into the autumnal, dying time of the year, rather than the vernal rebirth of it? Does it change what is understood of the Resurrection, when one’s outer world is doing the opposite of what is being celebrated at this time of year? Does it give a greater insight into the nature of winter? I need to investigate, are there even many climates in the Southern Hemisphere that reflect the same seasonal changes as we experience with deciduous forests in the North. I welcome any feedback, because I’d like to know.

Anyway, I’ve been spiraling towards Easter with deep thoughts and springy, creative juices. While putting away Christmas/winter decorations, I found an old art project I made in 4^th grade. I’m sure many of you made these too. We used the plastic egg our mother’s pantyhose came in, and shellacked a bunch of tissue paper squares onto it. Mine is over 35 years old, and has held up well. It was inspiring to see it endure with sheen-in-tact. So, I decided I wanted to make some fabric-wrapped eggs. It was time for more spirals in form and action. I gathered the accouterments (hello ModPodge!), took a deep breath into the heart of Time and Creation, and watched how it all coalesced into the birth of the Great Cosmic (Easter) Egg. Actually, the birth of 8 Great Cosmic (Easter) Eggs, 8 origins of 8 worlds to call my own, (and to display nicely on my coffee table.) Talk about symbols – lay them all out and it’s like taking a walk through infinity.

Coming soon, instructions for Fabric and Ribbon Wrapped Easter Eggs.